An elderly California man accused of terrorizing his neighbors with a slingshot for nearly a decade died Wednesday just days after he was arrested and appeared in court.
Prince Raymond King, 81, was found dead inside a home in Azusa, Calif. around 7:30 a.m., police told the Los Angeles Daily News.
The owner of the home King was found in is still unknown, but Azusa police Sgt. Nick Covarrubias told the outlet there was no “evidence of foul play.”
King died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease — which damages the arteries that carry oxygen away from the heart — and it was ruled to be natural, according to the local medical examiner’s office.
The grey-haired menace slowly walked into West Covina Superior Court for his arraignment on Tuesday, where he had pleaded not guilty.
King, who wears glasses, was accused of using his slingshot to careen metal ball bearings at his neighbors’ homes and vehicles for the past nine years, according to ABC 7.
He was charged with five counts of felony vandalism and two counts of misdemeanor vandalism for allegedly targeting his neighbors’ property with the slingshot — breaking numerous house windows and car windshields with the small hand-powered projectile weapon.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged King with vandalism from incidents from October 2021 to May 2024, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
However, neighbors alleged King’s slingshot attacks have occurred since 2015.
Police determined the ball bearings were coming from him amid their investigation and arrested the reckless neighbor on May 23.
During his arrest, police found the slingshot and 10 to 40 ball bearings in his possession, Cpl. Benjamin Cypher told the outlet.
The slingshot vandal was released from custody following his hearing Tuesday when his attorneys argued he suffered from a number of medical illnesses.
However, he was ordered not to stay in his Azusa home — about 25 miles outside Downtown Los Angeles — though he was allowed to return to pick up medications.
King was also told to stay at least 200 yards away from the homes he allegedly targeted, not to have contact with any of the victims, and was ordered not to possess any deadly weapons, including his signature slingshot.
“We’ve been here since 2018. (It’s been) ongoing all that time,” one of the King’s neighbors and alleged victims, James Mead, told LA Daily News following King’s arrest.
“To me, it seems to be a really good neighborhood, except for windows being broken,” Mead said.
He was due back in court on June 17 for his preliminary hearing.
